I made good progress on my Mustang the last two days.I'll have some progress photos to post within the next day or two.Stik,looking forward to seeing your F-20.I always liked the lines of that aircraft.A shame it never made it into service.

Camo is pretty much done. Tried to spray some gloss for the decals and it left the model matte but now with orange peel... In desperation I pulled out a bottle of spray gloss and hit her- it seemed to do the trick. Hopefully I'll get some decals on her soon.

RW, I agree about the F-20. the more that I have read about it and other Northrop projects, the more I have learned about the politics of USAF procurement and bad blood between the two entities.

Gamera, the  Corsair looks great. Quite unusual to see one in a non naval paint job.

SP: Thanks, my airbrush gunked up a little but the paint jobs didn't seem to be too perfect. And yeah, just plain strange seeing a camoed Corsair...

Thats some nice paintwork Gamera. Can't wait to see the Aztec Decals go down! Wish I was at this stage...

Today is the start of my mini vacation (five days off),the first I've had in three years.With the day being my birthday as well,it's a good start for my time off! Here's the latest progress on my tiny (1/144) P/F-51 kit.

The funny thing about these small kits,is that one puts just as much work into them as you do the larger scales.Gamera,your Corsair looks seriously awesome!Hopefully I'll get my microscopic scale kit done in the next few days.

Thanks guys!

Roger Wilco: You have very steady hands- I'm not sure if I could even see the detail on a model that small much less paint it!

And happy birthday!!! I'm so old now I stopped having them!

Thanks Gamera! I got the decals on this morning.I do sometimes question my sanity working in such a small scale.Back in the 90s when my ex-wife and I were together,we lived in a very small house,hence not much room to display models.That got me into building the small scale stuff and I've been doing it ever since.I turned 52 yesterday and realized that I've been into the modeling thing for over 45 years.I'm really looking forward to seeing your completed Corsair.

RW, I am with Gamera on those small scale builds. I have almost always worked in larger scales myself, except for the oddbll box scale stuff I built as a young boy. I have halped my kids build a few 1/144 aircraft kits when they were interested in the hobby, but that phase always seems to pass so quickly. Thse parts were just so tiny. Not too much different than working on ship models. Your small scale efforts here do put things in perspective for the rest of us. And your Mustang is coming along VERY nicely!

stikpusher

RW, I am with Gamera on those small scale builds. I have almost always worked in larger scales myself, except for the oddbll box scale stuff I built as a young boy. I have halped my kids build a few 1/144 aircraft kits when they were interested in the hobby, but that phase always seems to pass so quickly. Thse parts were just so tiny. Not too much different than working on ship models. Your small scale efforts here do put things in perspective for the rest of us. And your Mustang is coming along VERY nicely!

Thanks Stik! I'll start painting the smaller parts tonight.Barring any Murhpy's Law incidents I'll have it finished tomorrow.I've ordered some paint for my next projects.

Well, it's finished after a marathon session yesterday and today."Duck Dynasty" kept me company in the background.The black canopy came about somewhat out of necessity due to poor molding issues with the part.In this scale (1/144) this is my preferred method with clear parts anyway due to lack of cockpit details.Small scale kits,despite the fewer parts (in this case) can still create build challenges on par with the larger scales.

RW: Wow, she looks great! Really sharp clean finish! I'm beginning to understand what you mean about storage space but still despite being a little younger than you I just don't have the eyesight to build 1/144.

BTW: Had to cut back a little on 'Duck Dynasty' - I was getting this strange compulsion to grow a beard...

Gamera

RW: Wow, she looks great! Really sharp clean finish! I'm beginning to understand what you mean about storage space but still despite being a little younger than you I just don't have the eyesight to build 1/144.

BTW: Had to cut back a little on 'Duck Dynasty' - I was getting this strange compulsion to grow a beard...

Gamera,

Thanks for the kind words about my build.Speaking of Duck Dynasty,I watched another round of episodes last night.I'm just now getting into the program.Last night I started another small scale kit,the Arii 1/144 scale SBC Helldiver.To the best of my knowledge,it's the only kit of the Helldiver in 1/144.

Hi,

That Camo is looking great Gamera - will work my way back through the log to see the rest of the build.

RW - awesome work on that 1/144 -  I need magnifying glasses in 1/32 so I am sort of jealous in 2 ways :) 

As for me the LHS actually had to different JAS 39 to choose from:

Italeri's 1:48, this kit has some issues even building an A but comes at a decent price ~ 6 BM

Kitty Hawk 1:48, supposedly this kit has dealt with the issues and depicts a C but the cost is ~ 15 BM

Brasil has bought an X (Export) - the final features are not public or at least I have found no evidence.

So with your permission I am simply focusing on the camo and the colors - I might get a C exhaust nozzle and a C version Seat and do some DIY on the rest of the tube but apart from that I am staying with the basic Italeri OOB.

Could post some sprue-shoots if you are interested - but the kit has been around so I guess it is well known...

Best Regards

Johan

RW, that looks great! Those really small builds do have their own allure. After all you can find most any aircraft in that scale from the largest transports & bombers to the smallest fighters, and everything in between. But I must say that like Gamera's Corsair above, it looks slightly odd in modern camoflage colors. Very nicely done!

I will get a photo posted on the front page here shortly. I have had quite a hectic week here at work between New Years and overtime for a soccer game so my body is in "need rest" mode.

You sure earned your GB badge here. I am happy to see you displaying it!

Johan, yes, I am not gonna be a stickler for accuracy about your kit choice and peculiarties about which version you are building. That is all up to you. It just has to be in the markngs of the Latin Air Arm of your choice. And since your choice is only on paper and details have not been announced/finalized yet, take all the wiggle room that you need with your build.

I look forward to seeing your work here

Ok, it looks like Ponies are taking over page 1 here. We gotta get some different birds up there

stikpusher

RW, that looks great! Those really small builds do have their own allure. After all you can find most any aircraft in that scale from the largest transports & bombers to the smallest fighters, and everything in between. But I must say that like Gamera's Corsair above, it looks slightly odd in modern camoflage colors. Very nicely done!

I will get a photo posted on the front page here shortly. I have had quite a hectic week here at work between New Years and overtime for a soccer game so my body is in "need rest" mode.

You sure earned your GB badge here. I am happy to see you displaying it!

Stik,thanks for the kind words.I started work on a Arii 1/144 SBC Helldiver last night.I'm going to paint it as a A-25 Shrike of the USAAC.Thankfully I received a lamp with a magnifier as a birthday gift this year.That helps a lot with my small builds.

Years ago a buddy of mine gave me one of those Halo flourescent lamps with a magnifier in the middle. I do not use the magnifier portion very often, but when I do, it is a priceless tool.

I did a small bit of airbrushing today so tomorrow I can get the intakes glued on. I will get some photos posted then when I do.

Well, I've almost applied all the decals to the bent-wing bird. There were only six of them!

Two under wing insignia

Upper wing insignia and FSA ID

Two aircraft numbers on the tail fin

I'm guessing  most of the other stuff ended up painted over by the camo.

That's all an aircraft needs... Plus maybe some saucy nose art and mission/kill marks. I look forward to some more photos.

Some very intimate work there in the 'pit GM. Is that PE or something else?

Looks great GM! 

I finished up the decals this weekend:

Applied and wiped off the sludge wash for the panel lines after I took the photo. So far moving along pretty well, still haven't done anything with my most hated part though- the canopy. 

Oh that is looking very sharp now!

Gamera

Looks great GM! 

I finished up the decals this weekend:

Applied and wiped off the sludge wash for the panel lines after I took the photo. So far moving along pretty well, still haven't done anything with my most hated part though- the canopy. 

Seriously cool Gamera! That is one sharp looking Corsair.You sound like me on the canopies,not my favorite part of any project.

Thanks guys! Yeap I HATE CLEAR PARTS!!!!! (one of the best things about building armour models is they don't have many if any)  I should have worked on them tonight but I decided to get the landing gear cleaned up and painted instead.

Seam clean up is done now. I will try to get some photos posted tomorrow. I need to go to work here shortly. I just need to replace a few panel lines lost in sanding and I will be all aready for paint, fiddly bits, etc... Looks like a figther plane now.

Not much to show here really. But I am ready to begin slinging paint. At least to get the wheel wells and inner faces of the doors painted up... but now the full F-20 sillhouette is here...

and here is a glimps of the intake work... kinds hard to get a good photo of it.

Looking real good Stik! Which F-20 kit is this?